Social and cultural history Books

Book Synopsis'I was riveted by Sweat and its extraordinary tale of the ups and downs of exercise over millennia' Jane Fonda ‘Does what all good history books should do: take the past and make it vastly more human’ The Times _________________________ From the author of Insomniac City 'who can tackle just about any subject in book form, and make you glad he did' (San Francisco Chronicle): a cultural, scientific, literary, and personal history of exercise Exercise is our modern obsession, and we have the fancy workout gear and fads to prove it. Exercise - a form of physical activity distinct from sports, play, or athletics - was an ancient obsession, too, but as a chapter in human history, it's been largely overlooked. In Sweat, Bill Hayes runs, jogs, swims, spins, walks, bikes, boxes, lifts, sweats, and downward-dogs his way through the origins of different forms of exercise, chronicling how they have evolved over time, and dissecting the dynamics of human movement. Hippocrates, Plato, Galen, Susan B. Anthony, Jack LaLanne, and Jane Fonda, among many others, make appearances in Sweat, but chief among the historical figures is Girolamo Mercuriale, a Renaissance-era Italian physician who aimed singlehandedly to revive the ancient Greek “art of exercising” through his 1569 book De arte gymnastica. In the pages of Sweat, Mercuriale and his illustrated treatise are vividly brought back to life. asHayes ties his own personal experience to the cultural and scientific history of exercise, from ancient times to the present day, he gives us a new way to understand its place in our lives in the 21st century.Trade ReviewI was riveted by Sweat and its extraordinary tale of the ups and downs of exercise over millennia. Who knew? -- Jane FondaPerhaps because exercise is such a universal - and universally humbling - part of our lives, Sweat does, seemingly effortlessly, what all good history books should do: take the past and make it vastly more human * The Times *There’s a skip to Hayes’ step throughout, and the book will certainly ground any January health kick in a grander context * Daily Mail *As a storyteller, Hayes is like Joe Frazier … I would have liked this book to go on longer. Erudite, ludic, eccentric, energetic and historically transporting, it’s like falling through a gym and landing in a joust -- Zoe Williams * Guardian *Bill Hayes’ peripatetic inquiry into the history of exercise is a delight ... You’re in for a treat. Hayes weaves his riveting findings in the archives with a revelatory memoir of physical exertion that begins to answer that most human of questions: what does the body mean? -- Alison Bechdel, author of 'The Secret to Superhuman Strength'Charming and idiosyncratic ... A distinctive, often moving blend of historical and memoirist writing ... Hayes’s exuberant book tells us what awaits if we can only make it so * NEW YORKER *One of a number of titles that promise to take a serious look at exercise * Financial Times, Books of the Year 2022 *Charming and compelling … Among the pleasures of Sweat, Bill Hayes’s idiosyncratic and delightful history of exercise, is learning about the sweat lives of the great and good * The Critic *Hayes fascinatingly traces exercise’s gradual evolution into the multibillion-pound industry it is now – by way of some genuine scientific breakthroughs and several passing crazes * Readers' Digest *A lovely weave of memory and science, great characters and compassionate humor. You will love it for its wisdom and wonderful writing -- Anne LamottLike the most rewarding kind of travel writer, Bill Hayes is both informative and personal as he takes us through the borderlands ... I'm grateful for the way this intimate, reflective, and factual guidebook captures the feeling of that terrain -- Robert PinskyPlayful and powerful ... profoundly moving ... Hayes writes with so much panache that reading this book is thrilling * Boston Globe *Bill Hayes has an unusual set of skills ... He is part science writer, part memoirist, part culture explainer * New York Times *A beguiling brew of fascinating scientific facts and illuminating, poignant anecdotes ... vital and pulsing with energy. * Entertainment Weekly *Exquisitely wrought, heartrending and joyous -- Joyce Carol OatesLike Patti Smith's haunting M Train, Hayes' book weaves seemingly disparate threads of memory into a kind of sanctuary - a secret place where one can shake off the treasured relics of past lives and prepare to be reborn anew * San Francisco Chronicle *Hayes's work is resoundingly about life - about being wide awake to possibility, to the beauty of every fleeting moment * Oprah.com *Taking us through the different forms of exercise and their origins, Hayes gives a cultural, scientific and personal history of human movement * Irish Independent, Books of the Year 2022 *All laud and honor to Hayes * Washington Post *He is, in his photos and writings, the great poet of the everyday -- Edmund WhiteA sweeping inquiry into the sometimes converging, sometimes colliding worlds of psychology, medicine, mythology, aging, and mental health -- Maria PopovaMemoir, history, and science come together and apart again in a book that reads very much like a dream, switching genre and subject with a beautiful logic of its own, illuminated now and then with flashes of gorgeous insight ... Read this one and savour it * Out *If there is one person in the modern world who can reinvigorate Mercuriale’s enormous unfinished labor and bridge the physical, the philosophical, and the poetic - bridge Whitman and Warhol, Plato and Peloton, Kafka and Curie, Tennessee Williams and Serena Williams; bridge the “immediate bodily now” of exercise with “the wisdom of the past that had faded from living memory” - it is Bill Hayes. And so he does, in Sweat: A History of Exercise — an expedition, both existential and historical, spanning two thousand years and three continents -- Maria Popova

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered what it would have been like to live in the nineteenth century? How would you have got a partner in a ballroom? What would you have done with a letter of introduction? And where would you have sat in a carriage? Covering all these nineteenth-century dilemmas and more, this book is your must-have guide to the etiquette of our well-heeled forebears. As it takes you through the intricacies of rank, the niceties of the street, the good conduct that was desired in the ballroom and the awkward blunders that a lady or gentleman would of course have wanted to avoid, you will discover an abundance of etiquette advice from across the century. Elegant Etiquette is a lively, occasionally tongue-in-cheek and thoroughly detailed history of nineteenth century manners and conduct. Drawing upon research into contemporary advice and guidance, Elegant Etiquette is both fun and compelling reading for anyone with an interest in this period. In exploring the expectations of behaviour and etiquette, it seeks to bring the world of the nineteenth century back to life.

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Book SynopsisOne of the families that dominated the thirteenth century were the de Montforts. They arose in France, in a hamlet close to Paris, and grew to prominence under the crusading fervour of that time, taking them from leadership in the Albigensian wars to lordships around the Mediterranean. They marry into the English aristocracy, join the crusade to the Holy Land, then another crusade in the south of France against the Cathars. The controversial stewardship of Simon de Montfort (V) in that conflict is explored in depth. It is his son Simon de Montfort (VI) who is perhaps best known. His rebellion against Henry III of England ultimately establishes the first parliamentary state in Europe. The decline of the family begins with Simon's defeat and death at Evesham in 1265\. Initially they revive their fortunes under the new king of Sicily, but they scandalise Europe with a vengeful political murder. By this time it is the twilight of the crusades era and the remaining de Montforts either perish or are expelled. Eleanor de Montfort, the last Princess of Wales, dies in childbirth and her daughter is raised as a nun.

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Book SynopsisThe British have been baking for centuries. Here, for the first time, is a comprehensive account of how our relationship with this much-loved art has changed, evolved and progressed over time. Renowned food historian and author, Emma Kay, skilfully combines the related histories of Britain's economy, innovation, technology, health, cultural and social trends with the personal stories of many of the individuals involved with the whole process: the early pioneers, the recipe writers, the cooks, the entrepreneurs. The result is a deliciously fascinating read, one that will prove to be juicer than the juiciest of juicy baked goods.

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Book SynopsisAll fans of Jane Austen everywhere believe themselves to be best friends with the beloved author and this book shines a light on what it meant to be exactly that. Jane Austen's Best Friend; The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd offers a unique insight into Jane's private inner circle. Through this heart-warming examination of an important and often overlooked person in Jane's world, we uncover the life changing force of their friendship. Each chapter details the fascinating facts and friendship forming qualities that tied Jane and Martha together. Within these pages we will relive their shared interests, the hits and misses of their romantic love lives, their passion for shopping and fashion, their family histories, their lucky breaks and their girly chats. This book offers a behind the scenes tour of the shared lives of a fascinating pair and the chance to deepen our own bonds in 'love and friendship' with them both.

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Book SynopsisAn insight into one of the brothers behind the famous chocolate company.

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Book SynopsisDickens and Christmas is an exploration of the 19th-century phenomenon that became the Christmas we know and love today -and of the writer who changed, forever, the ways in which it is celebrated. Charles Dickens was born in an age of great social change. He survived childhood poverty to become the most adored and influential man of his time. Throughout his life, he campaigned tirelessly for better social conditions, including by his most famous work, A Christmas Carol. He wrote this novella specifically to strike a sledgehammer blow on behalf of the poor man's child , and it began the Victorians' obsession with Christmas. This new book, written by one of his direct descendants, explores not only Dickens's most famous work, but also his all-too-often overlooked other Christmas novellas. It takes the readers through the seasonal short stories he wrote, for both adults and children, includes much-loved festive excerpts from his novels, uses contemporary newspaper clippings, and looks at Christmas writings by Dickens' contemporaries. To give an even more personal insight, readers can discover how the Dickens family itself celebrated Christmas, through the eyes of Dickens's unfinished autobiography, family letters, and his children's memoirs. In Victorian Britain, the celebration of Christmas lasted for 12 days, ending on 6 January, or Twelfth Night. Through Dickens and Christmas, readers will come to know what it would have been like to celebrate Christmas in 1812, the year in which Dickens was born. They will journey through the Christmases Dickens enjoyed as a child and a young adult, through to the ways in which he and his family celebrated the festive season at the height of his fame. It also explores the ways in which his works have gone on to influence how the festive season is celebrated around the globe.

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Book Synopsis75th Anniversary Special Edition The largest ever explosion in Britain was colossal - and it was accidental. On 27 November 1944 almost 4 kilotons of bombs rocked the heart of England - three times greater than fell on London during the worst night of the Blitz. Although the seismic waves were felt as far away as Casablanca the catastrophe was hushed up as an official secret. Spy and sabateur stories abounded locally but elsewhere the largest crater in Europe remains unknown: a war grave like none other. Told for the first time by the people who lived through the event and its aftermath this is an important and unique chronicle of the world’s greatest accidental explosion. “There was a blinding flash and it looked like a great mountain in front of you. The stuff stood so high - pieces as big as railway engines were going up in the sky. We just stood and watched. It was unbelievable.”

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Paperback of the Year 'I can’t tell you how refreshing it is in these polarised times to read a book on politics that doesn’t have an axe to grind . . . an essential read.' - The Sunday TimesJason Cowley, editor-in-chief of the New Statesman, examines contemporary England through a handful of the key news stories from recent times to reveal what they tell us about the state of the nation and to answer the question Who Are We Now?Spanning the years since the election of Tony Blair’s New Labour government to the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the book investigates how England has changed and how those changes have affected us. Cowley weaves together the seemingly disparate stories of the Chinese cockle-pickers who drowned in Morecambe Bay, the East End Imam who was tested during a summer of terror, the pensioner who campaigned against the closure of her GP’s surgery and Gareth Southgate’s transformation of English football culture. And in doing so, Cowley shows the common threads that unite them, whether it is attitudes to class, nation, identity, belonging, immigration, or religion.He also examines the so-called Brexit murder in Harlow, the haunting repatriation of the fallen in the Iraq and Afghan wars through Wootton Bassett, the Lancashire woman who took on Gordon Brown, and the flight of the Bethnal Green girls to Islamic State, fleshing out the headlines with the very human stories behind them.Through these vivid and often moving stories, Cowley offers a clear and compassionate analysis of how and why England became so divided and the United Kingdom so fragmented, and how we got to this cultural and political crossroads. Most importantly, he also shows us the many ways in which there is genuine hope for the future.Trade ReviewI can’t tell you how refreshing it is in these polarised times to read a book on politics that doesn’t have an axe to grind . . . It is wonderfully written, the pages littered with poetic and literary references, as you might expect from an outstanding journalist . . . an essential read. * The Sunday Times *Subtle, sophisticated . . . compellingly told . . . This is a gentle and intelligent book, refreshingly unpolemical and reflective. -- Julian Coman * Observer Book of the Week *First-rate . . . [Cowley] is a broad-minded observer, a true liberal if that description may still be applied, and his elegance is all the more attractive for its absence of gloss . . . If you open this book for instruction, you may find much of value in the author’s selection of snapshots from his life and the lives of others. You will certainly read it with pleasure. -- Michael Henderson * The Times *Interesting . . . there is a certain Orwellian (in the best sense) curiosity and insightfulness * Sunday Telegraph *As someone who zips around England — and the wider UK every week — this book really resonates with me. Wonderfully written with colourful and incisive accounts of contemporary England -- Chris Mason, Presenter of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions?A beautiful piece of storytelling – the British eyed from unexpected places, from China to the middle of the middle of the middle. The question will never go away but these answers help us a lot -- Andrew MarrA balanced, insightful analysis of the past 30 years of English politics and identity, taking in New Labour, immigration, Brexit and the pandemic. -- Andrew Holgate and Laura Hackett * The Times '100 Best Books for Summer' *The New Statesman editor goes back to his Essex roots in this intelligent book about patriotism, which confronts Orwell’s puzzle: why is “England perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality”? -- Philip Johnston * The Daily Telegraph 'Best Books for Summer' *Fascinating . . . a pleasure to read. Cowley has an eye and an ear for the small details that add emotional depth to his reports. -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *Urgent and timely . . . Cowley powerfully demonstrates how these vivid, half-forgotten stories have contributed to a fragmented England, and offers a vision for how we can embrace the lessons learned to build a bright new future. -- Scarlett Sangster * Breaking News Ireland *A liberal and humane analysis informed by quiet patriotism. [Cowley] doesn’t try to define what England “is” or represents but searches instead for its emotional and cultural underpinnings . . . ruminative and reflective, informed by observation and without polemics. -- John Freeman * Reaction magazine *National identity is at the heart of Who Are We Now? Stories of Modern England . . . It is told through a series of stories, merging the personal and the political – stories of conflict and division but also ultimately of hope. -- Tom Gatti * New Statesman 'What to read this year: non-fiction' *A lyrical blend of the personal and the political, with echoes of Orwell, this book uncovers the hidden story of a fragmented nation. -- Helen Lewis, journalist, broadcaster and author of Difficult WomenJason Cowley’s well-researched reports and excellent analysis of modern England lead to two inexorable conclusions. "We" – the people of England – are certainly not who we once were; and "we" are far from agreeing who we mean when we talk of "us." Fascinating, disturbing and brilliantly insightful, especially on towns like Harlow in Essex which are not so much left behind, as overlooked and ignored. -- Gavin Esler, author of How Britain EndsJason Cowley’s humane and sharply observed book aims to piece together what the Victorians called "the condition of England question", through meditations on Blair’s Britain through to Brexit, from civil war in Syria to Covid-19. Who Are We Now? is blessed by curiosity and emphathy for the many overlapping stories from Margate to Morecambe and beyond. The traps of the metropole are avoided and the result is a work of unobtrusive and softly spoken patriotism, written to stand the test of time -- John Bew, author of the Orwell Prize-winning Citizen Clem: A Biography of AttleeCowley offers a haunting 'condition of England' masterpiece, the multiple Englands of his intimate stories elusive, at the mercy of forces far beyond any individual's hopes, somehow enduring. This is a beautifully written meditation of the recent English past and what understanding the plurality of Englishness demands of the English. -- Helen Thompson, co-host of the Talking Politics podcastBehind every electoral statistic, every social and political change is an evocative human story. With his characteristic clarity and flair Jason Cowley pulls out such particularly poignant, and redolent of the spirit of our times, stories. In doing so, he adds a crucial and often overlooked layer to our narratives of modern Britain and the historical tides of the last few decades. The lives of real people jump from these pages to form a rich tapestry, from the extremely dramatic to the most mundane, to shed light on what divides and what unites us, and what makes us the society we are today. -- Maria Sobolewska, co-author of Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics.I really recommend [Who Are We Now?], a wonderfully thoughtful, melancholy and moving read -- Dominic Sandbrook, historian and co-host of The Rest is History Terrific. Absolutely fascinating - highly recommended by me. -- Iain Martin, editor of Reaction A trenchant, but also moving, personal analysis of why England has become so divided, which finds hope for the future in the compassion for others that characterized the pandemic. -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller Ones to Watch *Engaging . . . This is an important and readable book - a rare combination. -- Neill Denny * BookBrunch *Despite the sadness and the concern, Cowley’s story is no jeremiad. He finds more grounds for hope than despair . . . The writing is excellent throughout, with an engagingly allusive literary quality. -- Brendan Simms * Engelsberg Ideas *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the RSL Encore Award 2021‘Extraordinary’ – Spectator‘Powerful’ – Guardian‘Spellbinding’ – The TabletAs the 1950s draw to a close, and the Cold War escalates, the shape of Drummond Moore's life is changed beyond measure when he strikes up an unlikely friendship with James Carter, a rich and well-connected fellow national serviceman. Carter leads him to Doom Town – an army base that seeks to recreate the effects of a nuclear war – where he meets Gwen, a barmaid with whom he shares an instant connection.Set over sixty years of British history, The Blind Light by Stuart Evers is the compelling story of one family as they deal with the personal and political fallout of their times.Trade ReviewA thoughtful and powerful study of the corrosive effects of fear, the damage we do to ourselves and our loved ones when danger is all we can see . . . disconcertingly timely * Guardian *A panoramic novel of modern Britain . . . extraordinary * Spectator *The Blind Light reads like a British Don DeLillo, telling the social history of Britain through two generations of a family -- Alex Preston, ObserverEngrossing . . . A terrific book -- Samira Ahmed, BBC Radio 4Evers excels in his close examination of relationships . . . the complicated nature of guilt and loss is beautifully handled . . . an absorbing read * Irish Independent *Powerfully imagined . . . multi-threaded, unflinching, and visceral * TLS *A shrewd, timely novel * New York Times *A spellbinding family history, encompassing the personal and the political * The Tablet *Rivals the work of American greats such as Bellow and Franzen * The Week *Evers’s book is a widescreen family saga that examines, among other things, the effect of the nuclear threat during the Cold War on the British psyche . . . it’s absorbing – and uncannily timed in its perversely consoling sense of how crises come and go * Daily Mail *The Blind Light is a page-perfect and impeccably structured portrait of Britain’s troubled, post-nuclear generations . . . Evers has written a powerful and affecting novel which excels at being as true to Family and the personal as it is to Nation and the universal, a rare and potent combination -- Jim Crace, author of HarvestOne is taken both by the breadth of vision and the depth of character on offer in Evers' stunning The Blind Light . . . This is an achievement to be admired and, frankly, envied. My hat is off -- Laird HuntA thoroughly absorbing novel which illuminates the nature of friendship and family while offering a compelling portrait of Britain. I loved it -- Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of LoveExtraordinarily intense, and intensely well written, the echoes of our current situation are uncomfortably close at hand. A complex and powerful novel -- Lissa Evans, author of Old Baggage and Crooked HeartA social history told through 2 generations of the same family. Beautiful & funny & moving. And a hugely hopeful read for our strange new world -- Sarah Franklin, author of ShelterThe Blind Light is staged on a far grander scale than its predecessor. Submerged currents from the cold war guide the plotline . . . [Lyrical but precise descriptions] are the moments when The Blind Light shines most brightly * Financial Times *A sprawling, absorbing, epic crossing generations * Cumbria Life *Subtle and sombre . . . Love, luck, debts and domestic life play out against a historical backdrop that takes in the Cuban Missile Crisis, strikes, civil unrest and the rise of rave culture * Sunday Express *

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Book Synopsis‘Beautifully written, sumptuously illustrated, constantly fascinating‘ - The TimesOn 26 November 1922 Howard Carter first peered into the newly opened tomb of an ancient Egyptian boy-king. When asked if he could see anything, he replied: ‘Yes, yes, wonderful things.’In Tutankhamun’s Trumpet, acclaimed Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson takes a unique approach to that tomb and its contents. Instead of concentrating on the oft-told story of the discovery, or speculating on the brief life and politically fractious reign of the boy king, Wilkinson takes the objects buried with him as the source material for a wide-ranging, detailed portrait of ancient Egypt – its geography, history, culture and legacy.One hundred artefacts from the tomb, arranged in ten thematic groups, are allowed to speak again – not only for themselves, but as witnesses of the civilization that created them. Never before have the treasures of Tutankhamun been analysed and presented for what they can tell us about ancient Egyptian culture, its development, its remarkable flourishing, and its lasting impact.Filled with surprising insights, unusual details, vivid descriptions and, above all, remarkable objects, Tutankhamun’s Trumpet will appeal to all lovers of history, archaeology, art and culture, as well as all those fascinated by the Egypt of the pharaohs.‘I’ve read many books on ancient Egypt, but I’ve never felt closer to its people‘ - The Sunday TimesTrade ReviewBeautifully written, sumptuously illustrated, constantly fascinating and the work of a man who is practised at explaining the past to the present. -- David Aaronivitch * The Times *The cleverness of the book lies in how individual grave goods are used to crack open the mindset of a civilisation . . . This book thrums with life. To the ancient Egyptians, a pharaoh’s tomb was a “resurrection machine” and, in a sense, they were right. The dead cannot be resurrected but, through the artefacts they used, we can sense the lives they lived. I’ve read many books on ancient Egypt, but I’ve never felt closer to its people -- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *The Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson takes 100 of the most curious of those finds and uses them to unlock the mysteries of Egyptian history and culture. -- Andrew Holgate and Laura Hackett * The Times '100 Best Books for Summer' *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Long Weekend: a wild, sad and sometimes hilarious tour of the English country house after the Second World War, when Swinging London collided with aristocratic values.'Preposterously entertaining' Observer'Brilliant' Daily Telegraph'Rollicking' Sunday TimesAs the sun set slowly on the British Empire in the years after the Second World War, the nation's stately homes were in crisis. Tottering under the weight of rising taxes and a growing sense that they had no place in twentieth-century Britain, hundreds of ancestral piles were dismantled and demolished.Yet - perhaps surprisingly - many of these great houses survived, as dukes and duchesses clung desperately to their ancestral seats and tenants' balls gave way to rock concerts, safari parks and day trippers. From the Rolling Stones rocking Longleat to Christine Keeler rocking Cliveden, Noble Ambitions takes us on a lively tour of these crumbling halls of power.* A Daily Telegraph Book of the Year ** Longlisted for the William MB Berger Prize for British Art History *Trade Review[A] preposterously entertaining history of the postwar country house... reading it is rather like leafing through an old leather-bound Smythson address book whose well-connected owner has helpfully added waspish notes, gossip and the odd family tree. In other words, it's heaven. -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *Adrian Tinniswood's rollicking study perfectly captures the combination of decadence, pathos and brazen cheek that kept the English country house alive when it faced disaster. -- John Walsh * Sunday Times *[A] brilliant new history of the country house since 1945... Tinniswood tells...[the] story superbly, his racy anecdotes mined not just from the usual memoirs, but from a studious trawl of endless local papers. -- Marcus Binney * Daily Telegraph *Beautifully orchestrated... a compulsive read, deliciously voyeuristic and yet a triumph of meticulous social and cultural scholarship. * Country Life *A vastly entertaining account of the crisis that befell England's stately homes in the decades immediately after the war. -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph, *Books of the Year* *

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Book SynopsisESSENTIAL ANTIRACIST READING “We can no longer see ourselves as minor spectators or weary watchers of history a­fter finishing this astonishing work of nonfiction.” —Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy   Connor Towne O’Neill’s journey onto the battlefield of white supremacy began with a visit to Selma, Alabama, in 2015. There he had a chance encounter with a group of people preparing to erect a statue to celebrate the memory of Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the most notorious Confederate generals, a man whom Union general William Tecumseh Sherman referred to as “that devil.” After that day in Selma, O’Neill, a white Northerner transplanted to the South, decided to dig deeply into the history of Forrest and other monuments to him throughout the South, which, like Confederate monuments across America, have become flashpoints in the fight against racism.   Forrest was not just a brutal general, O’Neill learned; he was a slave trader and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. O’Neill encountered citizens who still hold Forrest in cult-like awe, desperate to preserve what they call their “heritage,” and he also talked to others fighting to tear the monuments down. In doing so he discovered a direct line from Forrest’s ugly history straight to the heart of the battles raging today all across America. The fight over Forrest reveals a larger battle, one meant to sustain white supremacy—a system that props up all white people, not just those defending the monuments. With clear-eyed passion and honest introspection, O’Neill takes readers on a journey to understand the many ways in which the Civil War, begun in 1860, has never ended.   A brilliant and provocative blend of history, reportage, and personal essay, Down Along with That Devil’s Bones presents an important and eye-opening account of how we got from Appomattox to Charlottesville, and of our vital need to confront our past in order to transcend it and move toward a more just society.  

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Book Synopsis“We can no longer see ourselves as minor spectators or weary watchers of history a­fter finishing this astonishing work of nonfiction.” —Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy Connor Towne O’Neill’s journey onto the battlefield of white supremacy began with a visit to Selma, Alabama, in 2015. There he had a chance encounter with a group of people preparing to erect a statue to celebrate the memory of Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the most notorious Confederate generals, a man whom Union general William Tecumseh Sherman referred to as “that devil.” After that day in Selma, O’Neill, a white Northerner transplanted to the South, decided to dig deeply into the history of Forrest and other monuments to him throughout the South, which, like Confederate monuments across America, have become flashpoints in the fight against racism. Forrest was not just a brutal general, O’Neill learned; he was a slave trader and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. O’Neill encountered citizens who still hold Forrest in cult-like awe, desperate to preserve what they call their “heritage,” and he also talked to others fighting to tear the monuments down. In doing so he discovered a direct line from Forrest’s ugly history straight to the heart of the battles raging today all across America. The fight over Forrest reveals a larger battle, one meant to sustain white supremacy—a system that props up all white people, not just those defending the monuments. With clear-eyed passion and honest introspection, O’Neill takes readers on a journey to understand the many ways in which the Civil War, begun in 1860, has never ended. A brilliant and provocative blend of history, reportage, and personal essay, Down Along with That Devil’s Bones presents an important and eye-opening account of how we got from Appomattox to Charlottesville, and of our vital need to confront our past in order to transcend it and move toward a more just society.Trade ReviewA Library Journal Best Social Science Book of 2020 An Atlanta Journal-Constitution Best Southern Book of 2020 “The truth is that we Southerners have always needed dedicated, self-reflective young folks from the North guided by genius and radical love to help us exorcise the worst parts of our region. Connor Towne O’Neill walks in that radical love tradition in Down Along with That Devil’s Bones, but he does something more here. He decimates the argument for our need of Confederate statues while chronicling what their existence grants him bodily and morally.” —Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy “A personal examination of one of the great divides in our country today . . . Essential reading for how we got from Appomattox to Charlottesville—and where we might go next.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “O’Neill’s first book is a dazzling reminder that American racism is robust and virulent. He writes with a fluency of American culture that portends well for his books to come.” —New York Journal of Books “A well-researched history and a call for reformation in America.” —BookPage “An eloquent and provocative examination of the links between protests over Confederate monuments in the South and the resurgence of white supremacy . . . O’Neill writes with grace and genuine curiosity . . . This inquiry into the legacy of American slavery is equally distressing and illuminating.” —Publishers Weekly “Timely, engaging.” —Booklist “In examining the battles over monuments to Nathan Bedford Forrest, Connor O’Neill deepens his own understanding of the denial, the hatred, the horror, that still infests white people in this country, who do not want to lose their magical image of themselves as the noble race who tamed a continent and lifted up savages out of their barbarity. Unable to face the full horror of what we did in these centuries of brutality against other races, we hide in the idea of the lost cause, the idealization of what we call a way of life, and idolize figures like Forrest, a man who made his fortune in the sale of human beings, and who carved himself into history through his wholehearted embrace of the southern war effort that, by his own words, had the glorification of slavery as its purpose. It is a vital piece of the puzzle, this history, reported in clarity and rich in insight. Would that clarity and insight could lift this curse from our nation at last.” —Jim Grimsley, author of How I Shed My Skin

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Book Synopsis An incisive history of self-serving white feminists and the inspiring women who’ve continually defied themWomen including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Margaret Sanger, and Sheryl Sandberg are commonly celebrated as leaders of feminism. Yet they have fought for the few, not the many. As award-winning scholar Kyla Schuller argues, their white feminist politics dispossess the most marginalized to liberate themselves.In The Trouble with White Women, Schuller brings to life the two-hundred-year counter history of Black, Indigenous, Latina, poor, queer, and trans women pushing back against white feminists and uniting to dismantle systemic injustice. These feminist heroes such as Frances Harper, Harriet Jacobs, and Pauli Murray have created an anti-racist feminism for all. But we don’t speak their names and we don’t know their legacies. Unaware of these intersectional leaders, feminists have been led down the same dead-end alleys generation after generation, often working within the structures of racism, capitalism, homophobia, and transphobia rather than against them. Building a more just feminist politics for today requires a reawakening, a return to the movement’s genuine vanguards and visionaries. Their compelling stories, campaigns, and conflicts reveal the true potential of feminist liberation. An Entropy Magazine Best Nonfiction Book of 2020-2021,The Trouble with White Women gives feminists today the tools to fight for the flourishing of all.

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Book SynopsisThe story of dealers of Old Masters, champions of modern art, and victims of Nazi plunder. Since the late-1990s, the fate of Nazi stolen art has become a cause célèbre. In Belonging and Betrayal, Charles Dellheim turns this story on its head by revealing how certain Jewish outsiders came to acquire so many old and modern masterpieces in the first place – and what this reveals about Jews, art, and modernity. This book tells the epic story of the fortunes and misfortunes of a small number of eminent art dealers and collectors who, against the odds, played a pivotal role in the migration of works of art from Europe to the United States and in the triumph of modern art. Beautifully written and compellingly told, this story takes place on both sides of the Atlantic from the late nineteenth century to the present. It is set against the backdrop of critical transformations, among them the gradual opening of European high culture, the ambiguities of Jewish acculturation, the massive sell-off of aristocratic family art collections, the emergence of different schools of modern art, the cultural impact of World War I, and the Nazi war against the Jews. Trade Review"(An) exceptional work of scholarship. A brilliant account of Nazi pillage and the ongoing efforts at restitution." * Kirkus (starred review) *“A hefty, deeply researched book . . . A compelling portrait of the Jewish families who, unexpectedly, became arbiters of taste in Europe, beginning in the late 19th century and ending with Nazi plunder. Read if you’re into: thinking about art history, Jewish history and where they intersect.” * Alma *"Readers of Dellheim’s book will learn more about the history of modern art and European cultural history during times of upheaval and turmoil. Those who enjoy history and art history will enjoy this deep dive.” * Library Journal *"In the book, Dellheim writes about dealers of Old Masters, champions of modern art, and victims of Nazi plunder, sharing the epic fortunes and misfortunes of those eminent art dealers and collectors who, against the odds, played a pivotal role in the migration of works of art from Europe and Britain to the United States." * Arts and Collections *“A comprehensive tale of the artwork that appeared throughout Europe and then was absconded with in one of the largest heists ever. The various characters featured in this fascinating account hustle, sell and backstab." * Manhattan Book Review *"With its twists and turns, Dellheim’s book reads like a Realist novel. Despite the seriousness of its subject matter, it is a thrilling read, divided into wittily titled sections… The book is a veritable tour de force and an outstanding addition to scholarly research on art, Modernism, and Jewish studies." * Hyperallergic *"Belonging and Betrayal seeks to explain how Jews found significant, if precarious, success in the European art world... [It] reveals the complex negotiations, spoken and unspoken, that structured social, economic, and political life for Jews in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century western Europe." * ARTNews *"Dellheim's 600-plus-page tour de force [is] well-illustrated with paintings that its cast of characters collected and sold... [and] primary sources that reveal the extent of Nazi looting..." * JewishBoston *"a wonderful achievement, beautifully written, a magnificent work of art in itself, a fabulous book.” * LitHub's Keen On *"Highly recommended. This well-researched volume, with copious notes, two sections of color plates, and interspersed black-and-white figures, will interest those studying art history, provenance research, art markets, museums and repatriation, cultural studies, and Jewish studies.” * Choice *"European Jews on a fairly considerable scale drifted into the visual arts world as collectors and dealers in the 19th century and became, against all odds, arbiters of taste. Once regarded as outsiders on the margins of high culture, they were suddenly thrust into positions of prestige and influence. Charles Dellheim, a professor of history at Boston University, charts their entry into this field in his masterful and magisterial book, Belonging and Betrayal: How Jews Made The Art World Modern, published by Brandeis University Press....Dellheim has written a highly readable, substantive and engaging account of the entry of Jews into art. It may well be the definitive work on this topic." * Times of Israel *"Dellheim’s rich, deeply engaging, compulsively readable study .... combines business history, social history, and cultural and intellectual history, offers a fresh and exciting approach to ethnic studies that moves far beyond the three dominant paradigms... .If we are to truly understand the history and nature of group prejudices, the structural and systematic barriers to success, and collective strategies for economic advancement and civil rights, let’s resist the temptation, at the gen ed level, to relegate the study of ethnicity to distinct enclaves. Inclusive, comparative, and historical perspective are essential." * Inside Higher Ed *"Belonging and Betrayal is a brilliantly etched portrayal of the family firms that maneuvered, battled, adapted, persevered, and prospered over decades and centuries. What underlies all of Charles Dellheim’s painstaking research lies a loving devotion to the subject matter. That means, above all, that his discussion of cultural and aesthetic matters rests on a bedrock of economic and business history. The element so often missing from studies of Jewish participation in Western culture here properly takes center stage. In this masterwork, Dellheim shows how to understand the business of culture." * Jewish Review of Books *"Dellheim’s book is the first to present a collective portrait of the businessmen – and occasionally businesswomen, like Berthe Weill – who thrived in fashionable and avant-garde circles. ...This is a huge work of historical synthesis, which manages to weave together an enormous cast of characters and locations with flair and sympathy." * Ars Judaica *“This is a book that seeks and deserves a large audience. It has met enthusiasm across the art press and Jewish press in the English-speaking world, but it merits a broader readership. Those interested in modern European cultural or business history, art history, or Jewish studies—but also a general readership—will find the narrative compelling to follow. . . . In short, this history of Jewish involvement and achievement in the art world is history writ large and springs from the author’s often intimate grasp of the professional and private lives and efforts of the progressive dealers and collectors, reanimated here by one of the history profession’s master storytellers.” * Austrian History Yearbook *"This is a magisterial book. Wide-ranging yet closely focused, detailed yet suspenseful, it should be required reading for all who make art or collect it. Gracefully written and sumptuously illustrated throughout, Belonging and Betrayal is an important--even indispensable--contribution to the field." -- Nicholas Delbanco, author of Why Writing Matters"A major contribution to understanding a profound Jewish goal to belong and succeed, only to be betrayed by willful acts by Nazis and their collaborators. This impressive book will engage you, surprise you, anger you, and above all, enrich you." -- Richard I. Cohen, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, author, Jewish Icons"Brilliantly evocative and deeply researched, Charles Dellheim’s Belonging and Betrayal is a superb addition to the ongoing discussion on art ownership, theft, and restoration." -- David H. Lynn, editor emeritus of The Kenyon ReviewFinalist, 2021 National Jewish Book Award -- Finalist * National Jewish Book Award, History Category *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrologue: Reframing the PicturePart I. The Old Masters’ New Masters1. Horse Dealer to Art Dealer2. Treasure Island3. Assimilating Art4. Acquiring Eyes5. Metropolitan ManPart II. Was Modernism Jewish?6. Madman and Sons7. Was Modernism Jewish?8. First Impressionists9. Berlin Calling10. Between Bohemian and Bourgeois11. The Right BankerPart III. In The Middle12. The Wheel of War13. Brothers-in-Arms14. Custody Battles15. In the Market of Love16. Brothers-in-Law17. Gentlemen and PlayersPart IV. To Have And Have Not18. Artful Jews19. Artless Jews20. Next Year in Paris?21. After the Fall22. The Dispossessed23. The Exiles and the KingdomEpilogue: A Crack in Everything

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Book SynopsisA fine example of the best scholarship that lies at the intersection of philosophy, religion, and history. Dynamic Repetition proposes a new understanding of modern Jewish theories of messianism across the disciplines of history, theology, and philosophy. The book explores how ideals of repetition, return, and the cyclical occasioned a new messianic impulse across an important swath of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century German Jewish thought. To grasp the complexities of Jewish messianism in modernity, the book focuses on diverse notions of “dynamic repetition” in the works of Franz Rosenzweig, Walter Benjamin, Franz Kafka, and Sigmund Freud, and their interrelations with basic trajectories of twentieth-century philosophy and critical thought. Trade Review“The slightest gap separates the repetition of the same and repetition with a difference, but through that opening messianic redemption may somehow find its way. Or so suggested four of the most powerful Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, Rosenzweig, Kafka, Benjamin, and Freud, according to Gilad Sharvit’s arresting new reading of their legacy. Analytically rigorous, boldly imaginative, and lucidly written, Dynamic Repetition demonstrates how that most improbable of hopes is itself a revenant that refuses to die.” -- Martin Jay, author of Genesis and Validity: The Theory and Practice of Intellectual History“Many have pondered the peculiar form of messianism characteristic of early 20th century German Jewish thought, but Sharvit’s elegant hypothesis is a winner. According to Sharvit, the messianic drive of Rosenzweig, Kafka, Benjamin, and Freud is neither the Hegelian progressive thrust, which strives towards the completion of history, nor the apocalyptic death-wish, which hopes for the abrupt end of the world: it is based on a dynamic repetition, conceived not as a compulsion to repeat and stabilize, but rather as an impulse to reach forward into the future and innovate. Pace the popular opinion which perceives Weimar Jewish messianism as radical and uncompromising, Sharvit proposes a more moderate view which may be summed up by the talmudic equivalent of Søren Kierkegaard, Rabbi Tarphon: ‘You are not required to complete the work, but neither you are free to desist from it.’” -- Agata Bielik-Robson, University of NottinghamTable of ContentsAbbreviationsIntroduction: Scenarios of RepetitionI. Preliminaries, 1. From Eternal Return to Modern Repetition2. Tradition and Repetition in German Jewish ModernityII. Repetition and Its Others3. “Weltliche Unlebendigkeit”: Eternity and Repetition in Rosenzweig4. Repetition and Alterity: Rosenzweig’s Translations of Yehuda Halevi, Intermezzo: Abrahamic Variations in Kafka and KierkegaardIII. The Breaking History5. To Know No History: Benjamin’s Eternal Return6. Revelatory Discovery: On Benjamin’s “Repetition of Opposites”7. Freud on Moses: The Return of the Repressed and the End of EssenceBibliography

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Book Synopsis'A wonderful idea, gloriously put into practice. Greg Jenner is as witty as he is knowledgeable' - Tom Holland'You will love Greg Jenner's jolly account of how we have more in common with our ancestors than we might think ... all human life is here, amusingly conveyed in intriguing nuggets of gossipy historical anecdote' - Daily MailEvery day, from the moment our alarm clock wakes us in the morning until our head hits our pillow at night, we all take part in rituals that are millennia old. In this gloriously entertaining romp through human history - featuring new updates for the paperback edition - BBC Horrible Histories consultant Greg Jenner explores the hidden stories behind these daily routines.This is not a story of politics, wars or great events, instead Greg Jenner has scoured Roman rubbish bins, Egyptian tombs and Victorian sewers to bring us the most intriguing, surprising and sometimes downright silly nuggets from our past.It is a history of all those things you always wondered - and many you have never considered. It is the story of our lives, one million years in the making.Trade ReviewGreg Jenner's magpie mind takes you through the history of who we are and what we do, answering tons of questions you never thought to ask -- Al MurrayA wonderful idea, gloriously put into practice, Greg Jenner is as witty as he is knowledgeable -- Tom HollandLike visiting the most wonderful and cluttered museum, each chapter like another room teetering with illuminating ideas and information -- Robin Incebright, fun and enjoyable * HISTORY VAULT *One of my all time favourite books about history: erudite, witty and packed with things you've never thought about -- Peter FrankopanDelightful, surprising and hilarious, this is a fascinating history of the everyday objects and inventions we take for granted -- Lauren LaverneIf you find yourself secretly relishing your children's Horrible History books, you will love Greg Jenner's jolly account of how we have more in common with our ancestors than we might think ... all human life is here, amusingly conveyed in intriguing nuggets of gossipy historical anecdote * DAILY MAIL *Fascinating ... [Jenner] crafts some fine aphorisms, and it would be a staggeringly learned person who could not glean anything new from this work -- Steven Poole * WALL STREET JOURNAL *

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Book SynopsisA dance was devised in eighteenth-century Skye. An exhilarating dance. A dance, a visitor reports, ‘the emigration from Skye has occasioned’. The visitor asks for the dance’s name. ‘They call it America,’ he’s told. In his introduction to this new edition of his classic and pioneering account of what happened to the thousands of people who left Skye and the wider north of Scotland to make new lives across the sea, historian James Hunter reflects on what led him to embark on travels and researches that took him across a continent. To Georgia, North Carolina and Montana; to Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and the Mohawk Valley; to prairie farms and great cities; to the Rocky Mountains, British Columbia and Washington State. This is the story of the Highland impact on the New World. The story of how soldiers, explorers, guerrilla fighters, fur traders, lumberjacks, railway builders and settlers from Scotland’s glens and islands contributed so much to the USA and Canada. It is the story of how a hard-pressed people found in North America a land of opportunity.

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Book SynopsisThis is the extraordinary story of how salt fish from Shetland became one of the staple foods of Europe, powered an economic boom and inspired artists, writers and musicians. It ranges from the wild waters of the North Atlantic, the ice-filled fjords of Greenland and the remote islands of Faroe to the dining tables of London’s middle classes, the bacalao restaurants of Spain and the Jewish shtetls of Eastern Europe. As well as following the historical thread and exploring how very different cultures were drawn together by the salt fish trade, John Goodlad meets those whose lives revolve around the industry in the twenty-first century and addresses today’s pressing themes of sustainability, climate change and food choices.Trade Review'As bright and illuminating as the fish that are the subject of his writing, John Goodlad casts a sweeping eye over the North Atlantic fishing industry in the pages of this richly informative book' -- Donald S. Murray, author of The Guga Hunters'In his fascinating account of the part played by [The Shetland Islands and the Faroes] in the harvesting of cod and herring from the North Atlantic, John Goodlad raises vital questions about the world's food supplies' -- David Abulafia * The Spectator *'Tells the extraordinary story of how salt fish from the isles became one of the staple foods on the Continent' -- Hans J Marter * Shetland News *'John Goodlad's approach to the story of salt fish and Shetland feels rather like a masterclass in how to make history approachable, accessible, readable and entertaining' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'The Salt Roads is a valuable reminder of a forgotten time... it should be required reading for anyone who still thinks of Shetland as a remote, marginal outpost' * The Herald *'The book takes the reader to the wild waters of the North Atlantic and tells the story of how over the centuries the Shetland fishing industry not only inspired and affected the islands’ culture, but also shaped people far beyond its shores' * Dundee Courier *'This intriguing non-fiction title examines the economic boom of Shetland's salt fish trade' * Scots Magazine *'The Salt Roads is history, action on the high seas, personal memoir, folk tales and philology. It is an articulate expression of Shetland, which helps to explain how much the western islands can still learn from our can-do friends in the north' -- Roger Hutchinson * West Highland Free Press *'a gripping insight into life on the edge' * The Tablet, Summer Reading Roundup *'an extremely readable account of the Shetland cod fishery. Here you feel the wind, taste the salt: a quiet triumph' -- Alexander McCall Smith * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisFREE LOVE. DEADLY PRICE.'William Shaw is one of the great rising talents of UK crime fiction' Peter James'If you're not a fan yet, why not?' Val McDermid'A first-rate police thriller set amidst the seamy underside of the swinging sixties' C. J. SansomThe RunawayA nameless young woman is found naked and strangled in an alley on Abbey Road.The RejectDS Cathal Breen, an outcast in the Marylebone CID, struggles to make sense of the case.The RookieUntil new recruit WPC Helen Tozer - the first woman to join the team - makes a breakthrough.And as hippies slam doors in their face, and locals suspect the new African neighbours, Breen and Tozer tread down a perilous path, closing in on a cruel conspiracy that goes far beyond class, colour and creed.Trade ReviewShaw skilfully re-creates an era of social turmoil and class conflict ... against a vivid background of pop culture, casual racism and Britain's involvement in the bitter civil war in Nigeria * Sunday Times *A first-rate police thriller set amidst the seamy underside of the swinging sixties ... The totemic year of '68 will never seem the same again * C. J. Sansom *Excellent procedural ... A gripping story, with two appealing protagonists and impeccably researched period details deployed throughout -- Laura Wilson * Guardian *Convincing atmosphere, lively dialogue and a fun cop duo unite Beatlemania, English racism and the Biafran war * The Times *Excellent * Mail on Sunday *Superb characterisation, a vivid recreation of the era, its sights, sounds and prejudices make this a highly enjoyable and readable debut for the pairing . . . Shaw is certainly a name to note for the future and we shall see this original and likeable couple again soon * Crime Review *Excellent ... authentic, often humorous ... The Sixties have been examined and presented every which way, but A Song From Dead Lips manages to be something fresh, both in this regard and as a detective novel * Killing Time Crime *

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Book SynopsisIn the swinging 1960s, after nearly a century of colonisation, Cambodia had gained its independence and was ready to rock. Young musicians from the countryside flocked to the vibrant cosmopolitan capital city of Phnom Penh. Teenagers cycled along the Mekong River, guitars slung across their backs, on their way to rehearse Khmer covers of The Beatles or Pink Floyd. The city was a melting pot of sound: old fashioned rock'n'roll, early heavy metal, crooners and swooners and love duets. The music stopped on 17th April 1975: the Khmer Rouge army captured Phnom Penh, ending the civil war and beginning the genocide. Around 90% of the musicians died in the killing fields. But a few fled, to the US or France, taking what remained of their music with them. In Away From Beloved Lover, Dee Peyok travels across Cambodia, piecing together the story of the country and its golden era of music. She interviews surviving superstars and their relatives in places as disparate as a traditional house on stilts by a rice paddy, an artist's studio deep in the ancient forests, and a café in the new, divided Phnom Penh. Away From Beloved Lover is a musical travelogue that tells the story of Cambodia, past and present, in a thrilling new way. It is an immersive exploration of a country set to a soundtrack too long silenced, and finally able to play.Trade ReviewEqual parts travelogue and social history, Peyok's evocation of a glamorous rock'n'roll Shangri-La, which was destroyed by the waves of genocide that killed off 90% of the country's musicians, is not only fascinating but deeply poignant -- Will HodgkinsonWithin rock culture the idea of rebellion and resistance is largely gestural and symbolic. In Cambodia resistance was met with Year Zero and the killing fields. In such a chilling context this book is a work of heroic retrieval and restoration -- Rob Chapman[Dee Peyok's] book is a seeking - of Cambodia's music, and the resilient creativity of its people. Utterly brilliant -- Neal Brown

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Book SynopsisEvolving from the horse-drawn stage coaches that they soon eclipsed, railway carriages steadily grew in sophistication so that by the end of the nineteenth century the railway passenger travelled in comfortable rolling stock of a design familiar to many until the 1960s. While modern trains look different from those built more than a century ago, even today the facilities are not so dissimilar from those enjoyed by our Victorian ancestors. This book describes the development of the railway carriage from those early days to the present, highlighting some of the key developments in the history, design and construction of carriages. It also looks at the innovations that made life easier for the passenger, such as the introduction of heating, lavatories and restaurant and buffet facilities, as well as the differences in comfort between the various classes of traveller.Table of ContentsIntroduction Railway Carriage Development Passenger Comfort Building Carriages Royal Trains Pullman and Luxury Coaches Other Carriage Stock Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisTapestries have been an enigmatic form of artwork for hundreds of years, with the intricate symbolism of their woven narratives still fascinating viewers today. Unicorns and fantastic beasts rub shoulders with well-heeled aristocrats; famous biblical and saintly stories are played out; allegorical figures, gods and goddesses recline in classical landscapes; and the arms and military achievements of wealthy patrons are depicted in sparkling glory. However, far from being an outdated craft, tapestries continue to be woven to this day, both by talented amateurs in their homes and by highly skilled artisans in studios and workshops around the world. In this beautiful illustrated introduction to the history of tapestries, Rosita Sheen reveals the fascinating story of these masterpieces, exploring their conception, manufacture, and symbolism right up to the present day.Table of ContentsWhat is a Tapestry? Ancient and Medieval Tapestries Patrons and Creations Renaissance Heyday and Decline The Modern Rebirth of Tapestry Glossary Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisA vastly entertaining and unique history of the interaction between spying and showbiz, from the Elizabethan age to the Cold War and beyond.'A treasure trove of human ingenuity' The TimesWritten by two experts in their fields, Stars and Spies is the first history of the extraordinary connections between the intelligence services and show business.We travel back to the golden age of theatre and intelligence in the reign of Elizabeth I. We meet the writers, actors and entertainers drawn into espionage in the Restoration, the Ancien Régime and Civil War America. And we witness the entry of spying into mainstream popular culture throughout the twentieth century and beyond - from the adventures of James Bond to the thrillers of John le Carré and long-running TV series such as The Americans.'Thoroughly entertaining' Spectator'Perfect...read as you settle into James Bond on Christmas afternoon.' Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewA treasure trove of human ingenuity, and testament to our need to tell and believe stories, it deserves a front-row seat at any budding Bond's bedside -- James Owen * The Times *Andrew and Green have carried out a huge amount of impeccable research, which they relay with infectious gusto... I found it extremely difficult to put this book down -- Jake Kerridge * Daily Telegraph *Anyone who loves a good spy story will find and enjoy hundreds of them here * Economist *[An] enjoyable and well-informed survey...stars and spies will forever be inextricably linked -- Alan Judd * Oldie *Perfect...read as you settle into James Bond on Christmas afternoon. -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph, *Books of the Year* *

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Book Synopsis'Bold Ventures resembles a pop version of Iain Sinclair's psychogeography or Out of Sheer Rage, Geoff Dyer's anti-biography of DH Lawrence' Olivia Laing, GUARDIAN'A marvel: a monument to human beings continuing to reach for the skies, even after their plans dissolve in dust' NEW YORK TIMESIn thirteen chapters, Belgian poet Charlotte Van den Broeck goes in search of buildings that were fatal for their architects - architects who either killed themselves or are rumoured to have done so. They range across time and space from a church with a twisted spire built in seventeenth-century France to a theatre that collapsed mid-performance in 1920s Washington, DC., and an eerily sinking swimming pool in her hometown of Turnhout.Drawing on a vast range of material, from Hegel and Charles Darwin to art history, stories from her own life and popular culture, patterns gradually come into focus, as Van den Broeck asks: what is that strange life-or-death connection between a creation and its creator?Threaded through each story, and in prose of great essayistic subtlety, Van den Broeck meditates on the question of suicide - what Albert Camus called the 'one truly serious philosophical problem' - in relation to creativity and public disgrace. The result is a profoundly idiosyncratic book, breaking new ground in literary non-fiction, as well as providing solace and consolation - and a note of caution - to anyone who has ever risked their hand at a creative act.'What a sensible, intelligent and beautiful book' Stefan Hertmans, author of War and TurpentineTrade ReviewBeguiling . . . In our moment of "quiet quitting," resistance to corporate domination and a conviction that capitalism is in decay, Bold Ventures does arrive as a timely interrogation of what, exactly, constitutes success - of how to live -- Alexandra Jacobs * New York Times *Everyone fails every day, but an architect's failure is inescapably visible, a public humiliation, even when it doesn't occasion loss of life . . . That the relationship between creator and creation can become so deleterious is a source of obsession for Charlotte Van den Broeck . . . Bold Ventures resembles a pop version of Iain Sinclair's psychogeography or Out of Sheer Rage, Geoff Dyer's anti-biography of DH Lawrence -- Olivia Laing * Guardian *Bold Ventures is a unique survey of artistic creation, and is full of memorable scenes and insights -- Will Wiles * Literary Review *What a sensible, intelligent and beautiful book -- Stefan Hertmans, author of War and TurpentineA darkly comic meditation on the nature of creativity and the narrow margins between triumph and despair. Part memoir, part travelogue and part reflection, this unique and hugely engaging book takes a fresh look at the tragicomic condition of being human -- Carolyn Steel, author of SitopiaA gorgeous and roving debut . . . Van den Broeck's exploration extends beyond the lives and works of her subjects, turning into both a philosophical meditation on creativity and a brilliant character study of misunderstood artists. The result is a genre-bending work that's sure to fascinate those interested in art and architecture, as well as anyone curious about the dangerous mechanisms of the creative mind * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *While going on essayistic quests that take her around the globe, Van den Broeck traces stories of self-complacency, fear of failure and destiny. Indirectly, she researches the link between building and writing. Isn't every author bold by default, after all? In Bold Ventures she lives up to her ambition * De Morgen *Van den Broeck has a very keen eye. But she also has a great mind, making transitions between philosophical contemplations and journalistic passages seem effortless * De Standaard *

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Book Synopsis‘One of the most important books about gay culture in recent times’ The QuietusLong-listed for the Polari First Book PrizeIn 1984 the pulsing electronics and soft vocals of Smalltown Boy would become an anthem uniting gay men. A month later, an aggressive virus, HIV, would be identified and a climate of panic and fear would spread across the nation, marginalising an already ostracised community. Yet, out of this terror would come tenderness and 30 years later, the long road to gay equality would climax with the passing of same sex marriage.Paul Flynn charts this astonishing pop cultural and societal U-turn via the cultural milestones that effected change—from Manchester’s self-selection as Britain’s gay capital to the real-time romance of Elton John and David Furnish’s eventual marriage. Including candid interviews from major protagonists, such as Kylie, Russell T Davies, Will Young, Holly Johnson and Lord Chris Smith, as well as the relative unknowns crucial to the gay community, we see how an unlikely group of bedfellows fought for equality both front of stage and in the wings.This is the story of Britain’s brothers, cousins and sons. Sometimes it is the story of their fathers and husbands. It is one of public outrage and personal loss, the (not always legal) highs and the desperate lows, and the final collective victory as gay men were final recognised, as Good As You.Trade ReviewOne of the most important books about gay culture in recent times -- Andy Thomas * The Quietus *Fascinating and entertaining...as incisive about gay culture as Caitlin Moran's books are about feminism -- Boyd Hilton * Heat *One of civilisation’s great pop-cultural writers…tells the story of some of the most amazing decades in British history * GQ Style *Lively, timely and lovingly researched: thoroughly gay, in both the old and the new senses of the word -- Louis Wise * The Sunday Times *Insightful and engaging look at the past 30 years of gay social history in Britain * Attitude *Important and insightful * The Pool *Wonderful book...sensitively written and well researched. I'm honoured to be included * David Furnish *An essential testament that needs to be read by anyone who came of age during the last three decades: gay, straight, parent, child, sister, brother, politician, policy maker, celebrity, commentator - all of us who are trying to make sense of where we came from and where we are now * John Tiffany *Whether it's the bittersweet recollections of a former London Lighthouse AIDS nurse, the unexpected moral fortitude of a former tabloid editor, or the Grindr confessions of a pop idol, Flynn finds the heroism in the everyday and the exceptional...an ambitious and inspiring work * Adam Mattera, former Attitude editor *As fascinating as it is laugh out loud funny, and proves, quite brilliantly, that there's nowt so queer as folk -- Antony Cotton

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Book Synopsis'The unexpected comic masterpiece of the year' Daily MailIn 1967, retired army major and self-made millionaire Paddy Roy Bates inaugurated himself ruler of the Principality of Sealand on a World War II Maunsell Sea Fort near Felixstowe - and began the peculiar story of the world's most stubborn micronation. Having fought off attacks from UK government officials and armed mercenaries for half a century - and thwarted an attempted coup that saw the Prince Regent taken hostage - the self-proclaimed independent nation still stands. It has its own constitution, national flag and anthem, currency, and passports - and offers the esteemed titles of 'Lord' or 'Lady' to its loyal patrons. Incorporating original interviews with surviving members of the principality's royal family, and many rare, vintage photographs, Dylan Taylor-Lehman recounts the outrageous attempt to build a sovereign kingdom by a family of rogue, larger-than-life adventurers on an isolated platform in the freezing waters of the North Sea.Trade ReviewThe unexpected comic masterpiece of the year -- Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE FT & MCKINSEY BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2018 A Financial Times Book of the Year and an Amazon Top 100 Book of the Year India’s explosive rise has driven inequality to new extremes, with millions trapped in slums as billionaires spend lavishly and dodge taxes. Controversial prime minister Narendra Modi promised ‘to break the grip’ of the Bollygarchs, but many tycoons continue to thrive amidst the scandals, exerting huge influence over business and politics. But who are these titans of politics and industry shaping India through this period of breakneck change? And what kind of superpower are they creating? A vivid portrait of a deeply divided nation, The Billionaire Raj makes clear that India’s destiny – prosperous democratic giant or corrupt authoritarian regime – is something that should concern us all.Trade Review‘Compelling…vivid…Crabtree has given us the most comprehensive and eminently readable tour of economic India.’ * Meghnad Desai, Financial Times *‘An excellent survey of India’s economic and political transformation… Crabtree’s Indian story is a cautionary tale of globalization’s excesses and the consequences for one of the world’s most unequal societies.’ * Washington Post *‘A vivid comparison to America’s late 19th-century Gilded Age drives this account of 21st-century India, with a teeming, colourful cast of the super-rich, the ultra-poor, the politically ambitious and the irredeemably corrupt.’ * Financial Times, Books of the Year 2018 *‘Timely reading…Crabtree’s eye for detail…gives some nice close ups…With so many tasty details, it is the right sort of snack to fill a hole as we watch and wait.’ * The Times *‘The analysis really sings when Mr Crabtree finds new ways to capture the collision of profits, politics and public opinion. His account of India’s cut-throat network-TV industry, through the eyes of a star presenter, is thrilling.’ * The Economist *‘A pacey and perspicacious account… Crabtree’s unique achievement is to probe the peculiarities of Indian cronyism and lay out its structural causes… For sheer chutzpah, India’s billionaires provide tremendous value. All this makes for a thoroughly entertaining book, but also for a sadly enfeebled and unequal nation.’ * Oliver Balch, Literary Review *‘A reporting gem, The Billionaire Raj deserves to be widely read.’ * Ashutosh Varshney, Indian Express *‘An eye-opening book from someone who clearly loves his subject.’ * Oliver Bullough, Prospect *‘[A] stylish, sweeping survey of modern day India.’ * Times Literary Supplement *‘A lively and valuable blend of the empirical and the anecdotal… The best parts of Mr. Crabtree’s book, however, aren’t his observations on the civic state of India (although these are certainly valuable and wise). They are his reportage, in which he relates his encounters with several of the men who are emblematic of the billionaire raj.’ * Tunku Varadarajan, Wall Street Journal *‘A nuanced portrait…chock-full of profoundly revealing vignettes from various corners of India’s endlessly diverse society and economy.’ * New York Times *‘James Crabtree, once a hugely-admired star foreign correspondent, has transformed himself into a brilliant writer and analyst of the Indian super-rich. This timely, fascinating and eye-opening book is also – a rarity for a book about money – wonderfully witty and beautifully written.’ -- William Dalrymple‘An enlightening and engaging story of wealth and poverty in India, but also a sad indictment of the power of inequity in subduing and overwhelming its areas of success.’ -- Amartya Sen, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics‘Crabtree’s stylish writing and sharp insights bring to life the extremes of a country changing with bewildering rapidity, and one the world will find increasingly hard to ignore. The Billionaire Raj is an essential guide if you want to understand modern India, as you must.’ -- Edward Luce, Chief US Commentator, Financial Times, and author of In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India‘Billionaire-watching may seem like voyeuristic fun, but it also provides serious insights about where a nation is headed. James Crabtree does just that in The Billionaire Raj, as he traces the incredible rise of India’s new super-rich and everything they reveal about the state of India’s political economy. Mixing colourful anecdotes with serious analysis, Crabtree’s urgent book gives us far more than just vicarious thrills about India’s new Gilded Age.’ -- Ruchir Sharma, author of The Rise and Fall of Nations‘A lucid, detailed and at times epic account of the new India… A must-read for all those interested in the political and economic destiny of the subcontinent.’ -- Robert D. Kaplan, author of Monsoon and The Return of Marco Polo’s World‘A fascinating look into the world of the Indian business elite…shedding considerable light on whether the country will sustain the miracle that is the Indian democracy or go the way of populism and authoritarianism as so many others have.’ -- Dani Rodrik, Professor of International Political Economy, Harvard University, and author of The Globalization Paradox‘James Crabtree distinguished himself as the most insightful journalist writing for the Financial Times from India. It is not surprising therefore that he has now written a book that offers a splendid overview of the issues that have been raised concerning India’s spectacular growth since the reforms began in 1991. It is bound to become a classic.’ -- Jagdish Bhagwati, author of In Defense of Globalization‘In this eye-opening rumination on wealth, power, and those who seek both…Crabtree brings a reporter’s precision and flair to his story… An inside look into the corridors of power, this is an invaluable commentary on Indian democracy and the forces that threaten it.’ * Publishers Weekly, starred review *‘A wonderful book! It artfully weaves together lively stories of India’s billionaires while retaining a balanced perspective on the big picture of the rise of India. It is not easy to write contemporary history but Crabtree manages to get to the heart of the matter – the problem of India’s state capacity and the need to reform the institutions of governance.’ -- Gurcharan Das, author of India Unbound and The Difficulty of Being Good‘Who are the Indian nouveau riche and what do they want? James Crabtree’s The Billionaire Raj will prove the defining work on these questions. It is a must-read for anyone interested in wealth, inequality, India, or the evolution of capitalism.’ -- Tyler Cowen, economist, blogger and author of The Great Stagnation

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Book SynopsisIn 221 BCE, the Qin state conquered its neighbours and created the first unified Chinese empire in history. So began the imperial era, where dynasties claiming divine assent ruled for more than 2,000 years. Borders shifted and emperors struggled to exert control over every region of their diverse territories. Elites held that they were inheritors of a rich, pre-imperial culture, while their society produced world-changing inventions such as the compass, printing, gunpowder and the gun. And imperial China itself was altered as it came into contact with others through trade, exploration and war. For anyone curious about this fascinating period, Peter Lorge introduces imperial China’s major ruling dynasties, religions, arts, thinkers, inventions, military advancements, economic developments and historians.Trade Review‘In short, fast-paced chapters, Peter Lorge provides a fresh look at key elements of China’s imperial past. He invites the reader to ponder what we mean by “China”, how to understand “dynasty”, and whether sources written in literary Chinese overstate unity and continuity and underplay law, the military, and openness to new ideas.’ -- Patricia Buckley Ebrey, Professor of History Emeritus, University of Washington, and author of The Cambridge Illustrated History of China‘A compact but engaging exposition of imperial China over the course of its 2,000-year history. Both accessible and informative, this book challenges a series of commonly held assumptions and reveals the complexity and incredible diversity of the Chinese world.’ -- Imre Galambos, Reader in Chinese Studies, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsMap A Timeline of the Dynasties of Imperial China Introduction Before the Imperial Age Imperial China Master Kong, the Ru, and Confucius Language Conclusion 1 Foundations The Imperial State Law and Morality in Reality Conclusion 2 Dynasties Similarities Differences The Other Dynasties Conclusion 3 Borders Geography Macroregions Localities Conclusion 4 War and the Military Military Technology, Society, and Politics Organization Guns Military Thought Conclusion 5 Discovery The Four Great Inventions Other Technology Contact and Exploration Conclusion 6 Religions Popular Religion Ruism (Confucianism) Buddhism Daoism Conclusion 7 The Imperial Economy The State Money Markets Conclusion 8 The Arts: Literature, Calligraphy, Painting, and Architecture Literature Poetry Prose Calligraphy Painting Architecture Conclusion 9 Popular Arts and Culture Decorative Arts Gardens Public Performance and Theatre Popular Literature Conclusion 10 Constructing China Through History Sima Qian (c.145/135–c.86 BCE) and The Records of the Grand Historian Ban Gu (32–92) and The History of the Han (Hanshu) History Writing in the Tang Dynasty History Writing in the Song Dynasty Conclusion 11 The End of Imperial China? Imperial History Diversity Unity Conclusion Acknowledgments Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisBook of the Year in the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and New Statesman'A powerful illumination of a lost world that is nevertheless part of living memory.' Simon Heffer, 'Books of the Year' , Daily Telegraph'A joyous new book on post-war Britain.' Daily MailWhen Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952, Britain had a far-flung empire, Winston Churchill was prime minister, sweets were rationed, mums stayed at home and kids played on bombsites. In the years that followed everything changed utterly. Through original research, interviews with people who were there and his own memories of the time, Matthew Engel traces this transformation of British society as never before. Beginning with the death of King George VI and ending on the eve of Margaret Thatcher's election, Engel not only covers all the major historical events but also explores everyday life - from the food we ate and where we shopped, to what we watched on television and the newspapers we read. In doing so, he brings these three decades to life with his own light touch and a wealth of fascinating, forgotten, often funny detail. Previously published as The Reign - Life in Elizabeth's Britain.Trade ReviewDelivers equally sharp observations of Teddy Boys, hanged murderers, the British Empire, swinging London, National Service and Mrs Thatcher's ascent to power... A powerful illumination of a lost world that is nevertheless part of living memory. -- Simon Heffer * 'Books of the year', Daily Telegraph *Masterly... Consistently entertaining, frequently surprising and sometimes provocative. -- Peter Wilby * 'Books of the Year', New Statesman *A joyous new book on post-war Britain. * Daily Mail *Entertainingly written... An immediately credible, and at times highly personal, picture... Engel brings his own views to bear, usually with wit, and at times with pleasing eccentricity. * Spectator *A pleasingly anecdote filled new social history of the second Elizabethan era... Like the best assortment boxes, it encourages regular dipping, each chapter short and tasty enough to make you say "oh, just one more". -- Patrick Kidd * The Times *Has at least one priceless detail per page. -- Philip Norman * Observer *Full of richly revealing stories and quotidian detail, laced with incisive but humane judgements, and never missing the big picture of a country where the pace of social change was rapidly quickening - Matthew Engel has given us a tour de force about post-war Britain which delights and illuminates on every page. -- David KynastonA pure delight. There is a gem on every page. -- Peter HennessyI really enjoyed this romp through the headlines, partly because Matthew Engel is such an amusing writer and partly because all sixty-one of his chapters come up like three-minute songs on the jukebox - soon over and always time for just one more... Engel thinks like a journalist but writes like a raconteur. * Literary Review *The best feature writer of his generation, Engel really scores in his attention to the minutiae of lived experience... And he has a journalist's eye for the killer detail. * The Tablet *Rich in anecdote and telling detail it's a masterly evocation of a time of great social change. * Choice Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating history of women's belief, faith and spirituality, as told through the art and writing of over 30 women of wisdom.

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Book Synopsis'London is a giant kaleidoscope, which is forever turning. Take your eye off it for more than a moment and you're lost.' Robert Elms has seen his beloved city change beyond all imagining. London in his lifetime has morphed from a piratical, bomb-scarred playground, to a swish cosmopolitan metropolis. Motorways driven through lost communities, accents changing, skyscrapers appearing. Yet still it remains to him the greatest place on earth. Elms takes us back through time and place to myriad Londons. He is our guide through a place that has seen scientific experiments conducted in subterranean lairs and a small community declare itself an independent nation; a place his great-great-grandfather made the Elms' home over a century ago and a city that has borne witness to world-changing events.Trade ReviewA love letter to the capital . . . Part memoir, part cultural history, it sees him embarking on a voyage through the London of his youth and that of his forebears while assessing the city of today . . . He offers warm and often vivid snapshots of the capital of the '60s and '70s * * Guardian * *[Robert Elms'] observations are fresh, incisive and sometimes revelatory . . . His love of his city shines from every page * * Observer * *London Made Us is a marvellously detailed and wonderfully evocative memoir of London trembling on the border of extinction. Our tears and dreams are made of this -- PETER ACKROYDThis great city of ours has been truly blessed with some notable social and historical chroniclers . . . Robert Elms is a worthy addition in my humble opinion. This book will quite literally give the reader, whether London-born or not, the most fascinating in-depth history lesson of my beloved city (warts an' all) to date. The reading of this book should be made a compulsory addition to the curriculum of every state and private school in the capital -- NORMAN JAY MBERobert Elms's bright, sparky, self-aware homage to his home . . . Elms writes as he speaks . . . His voice surfs on waves of sentimental passion and it, too, conjures up a vanishing world * * Times Literary Supplement * *This is a freewheeling book that revels in the tales it tells - and it tells plenty . . . A delight * * Evening Standard * *A celebration of [London's] utterly vital past, and a stinging critique of present pseudo-posh . . . Elms is good at taking a little piece of our hearts . . . But he gives, too. His stories are funny and memorable * * Spectator * *

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Book SynopsisFor most of human history, we have had a close relationship with the stars. Once they shaped our religious beliefs, power structures, scientific advances and even our biology. But over the last few centuries we have separated ourselves from the universe that surrounds us. And it comes at a cost.The Human Cosmos is a tour of this history: from the Hall of the Bulls in Lascaux to Tahitian sailors navigating by the stars; from medieval monks grappling with the nature of time to Einstein realising that space and time are the same. It shows we need to rediscover the universe we inhabit, its effect on our health, and its potential for inspiration and revelation.Trade ReviewA dazzling cultural account of our enduring and ever-changing relationship to the cosmos. Beginning with cave paintings and stone circles, Marchant traces humanity's epic journey from a sky filled with gods, spirits and celestial events that shaped people's lives and beliefs to the Big Bang and the search for alien life. This book will change the way you look at the night sky -- MANJIT KUMAR, author of QUANTUMVast in scope and meticulously researched this brilliant book traces humanity's enduring relationship with our physical and cultural ancestors: the stars. Full of fascinating stories, Jo Marchant weaves astronomy with astrology, mathematical physics with gods and spirits. It made me question my reality and left me starstruck -- GAIA VINCE * * author of Transcendence and Adventures in the Anthropocene * *Marchant's vast and fascinating story packs in plenty of human detail . . . inspiring and persuasive * * Guardian * *Humans have always been fascinated by the stars. But why are we so drawn to these celestial objects? Jo Marchant reveals this historical relationship through beautifully told stories, of gods and spirits, mathematicians and physicists . . . The Human Cosmos is not just a pleasure to read, it's one you'll want to share with everyone you know who is interested in astronomy * * BBC Science Focus * *Marchant is a deft writer. Her characters are vivid, and her stories flow. The unexpected connections she makes . . . are often quite satisfying . . . A reminder that the forces that shape humanity far precede modern people and will persist long after we're gone * * New York Times * *A thought-provoking look at how fascination with the heavens has shaped human culture, and still does * * Economist, Book of the Year * *An important and delicious book. Jo Marchant, whipsmart, sensitive, and eloquent yet unforced as ever, mines the history of stargazing to show that today's cosmology can't reveal the "intrinsic nature" of anything, whether stars, stardust or human existence, because omitting human consciousness from its equations impoverishes not just our comprehension of the universe, but the notion of understanding itself -- DAVID DOBBSAn extensively researched and fascinating book . . . The reader will find much that is new and intriguing in The Human Cosmos . . . ought to be essential reading * * Journal of the British Astronomical Association * *Science journalist Marchant explores the relationship between humans and the celestial in this luminous and fascinating journey through science, religion, culture and everything in between * * Newsweek * *A unique and mind-expanding enquiry . . . a tour de force on par with Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari * * Booklist (starred review) * *

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Book SynopsisA landmark new history of the great English county of Lancashire, exploring its people’s impact on Britain and beyond. This popular history explores the cultural heritage and identity of Lancashire, stretching from the Mersey to the Lake District. Paul Salveson charts the county’s transformation from a largely agricultural region noted for its religious learning into the Industrial Revolution’s powerhouse, as an emerging self-confident bourgeoisie drove economic growth. This capital boom came with a cultural blossoming, creating today’s Lancashire. Industrialists strongly committed to the arts endowed galleries and museums, producing a diverse world of science, technology, music and literature. Lancashire developed a distinct business culture, but this was also the birthplace of the world co-operative movement, and the heart of democracy campaigns including Chartism and women’s suffrage. Lancashire has generally welcomed incomers, who have long helped to inform its distinctive identity: fourteenth-century Flemish weavers; nineteenth-century Irish immigrants and Jewish refugees; and, more recently, ‘New Lancastrians’ from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. This long-overdue book explores contemporary Lancastrian culture, following modern upheavals and Lancashire’s fragmentation compared with its old rival Yorkshire. What future awaits the 6 million people of this rich historic region?Trade Review'An important account of Labour's traditional, community-based values with many lessons for today'. -- John Prescott, former MP, on Paul Salveson's 'Socialism with a Northern Accent''As Paul Salveson shows throughout this book, love of our Lancashire countryside has always been at the heart of progressive working class politics.' -- Maxine Peake on Paul Salveson's 'Moorlands, Memories and Reflections''The strength of the Lancashire people is within me. You get on and do it. There are no airs and graces.' -- Jane Horrocks, 'The Guardian''Salveson is strong, and offers an alternative history … his meticulous research provides a rich vein for future local amateur and professional historians.' -- Northwest Bylines'In the early morning the mill girls clumping down the cobbled street, all in clogs, making a curiously formidable sound, like an army hurrying into battle. I suppose this is the typical sound of Lancashire.' -- George Orwell, 'The Road to Wigan Pier''Put Lancashire right and you put England right. Settle the factory system, and you solve the social problem of the century. Wash the drooping Red Rose, clear the soot off its polluted petals, give it more soil and more fresh air to grow in, and when the flower of Lancashire is once more blooming England will become a flourishing garden of delight.' -- Allen Clarke, 'The Effects of the Factory System', 1895

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Book SynopsisWhat do cacao beans, cowrie shells, paper cards, cigarettes and digital databases all have in common? At some time, they have been used as a form of money. Money is an essential aspect of everyday life and something that we usually take for granted until it all goes wrong. This book traces the role, growth and impact of money and finance on individuals, human civilisation and the type of economy we live in. The financial history of the world reads like a fascinating novel with innumerable twists and turns. We strive for financial stability and security, yet this often proves surprisingly ephemeral. Just as we hope we have reached a new plateau of prosperity, the financial system has a habit of throwing a spanner in the works, forcing us to change and adapt to new circumstances. This book traces the financial system from its birth as a credit system in ancient Mesopotamia, to the financial revolutions of the 20th and 21st centuries. This is the story of money, finance and economics but also its interaction with people, governments and society. Why did the American forces desperately try to destroy money during the American Revolution? Why do we tend to succumb to boom and busts? And if inflation is bad, why is deflation even worse? Also, the book looks at the effect money has on ourselves. Does money make us irrational? Is money really the root of all evil, or should we celebrate money for its potential to create prosperity and overcome poverty? Table of ContentsBefore money - barter/credit/gift economies/debt • The first currencies - how money evolved coins, notes, banks • How money transformed the world - how money facilitated trade, companies, economic growth • Behavioural theory of money - how people relate to money • The industrial revolution, free market economics, stock markets, modern banks, central banks • Finance and economics in the Twentieth Century • Debt throughout history - personal, company and government debt • Financial crash of 2007, Bitcoin, cashless societies • Different views on the financial system • Financial crashes.

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Book SynopsisIn the year of her 100th birthday, Dame Vera Lynn's fascinating and life-affirming wartime memoir from the forces' sweetheart's of her adventures entertaining the troops in far-flung Burma.'I was just twenty-seven years old when I went to Burma. It was an experience that changed my life for ever. Up until that time I had not really travelled anywhere at all, apart from one touring visit to Holland with a band I was singing with before the war, and I had certainly never been in an aeroplane. But I wanted to make a difference, to do my bit.'And she did.Written with her daughter, Virginia Lewis-Jones this is a powerful and life-affirming account of the time she spent with troops in wartime Burma. Based, in part on a diary she kept, alongside unpublished personal letters and photographs from surviving veterans and their families, it explores why it was such a life-defining event for her and shows how her presence helped the soldiers, airmen and others who heard her sing.Trade Reviewa book that is valuable to us all…definitely for everyone * Frost Magazine *one of the 15 best music books of 2017 * i Paper *

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Book SynopsisTHE MYTHS SURROUNDING THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE DISH, DEBUNKED Did Marco Polo bring pasta back from China, or is that a myth? How did the Neapolitan “macharoni” turn into the ubiquitous spaghetti? Is it even an Italian dish? Hundreds of shapes and thousands of recipes give expression to the culture and products of the country’s regions. But spaghetti with tomato sauce remains Italy’s identity dish par excellence. Massimo Montanari goes in search of the dish’s true origins, tracing its history along the multiple, intricate routes taken by its raw ingredients to merge and become a distinctive element of culinary tradition. It took almost two thousand years and input from the Far East, the Arabic world, and the Americas, for the dish to take centre stage. Its development is the result of chance encounters, unplanned exchanges, and unpredictable intersections. As we dig in search of spaghetti’s origins, we find its strands wrap right around the world. “Learned and entertaining.”–Il GiornaleTrade Review“When I tell you that I would travel far for a good ragu, you’ll appreciate why I also devoured Massimo Montanari’s A Short History of Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce, an anatomy of a culture on a plate, and delicious with it." * The Guardian *“Disentangling the serpentine strands of the story can be complicated, like working your way through a mound of spaghetti, but Montanari provides a focused overview. Although compact, the book is stuffed with rich ideas.” * The TLS *"Food historian Montanari reflect[s] on the meaning of roots, identities, and origins in this illuminating examination of one of the world’s most famous culinary pairings. While this scholarly treatise may be better suited for those with big appetites for knowledge, it’s full of delicious details." * Publisher's Weekly *"A very entertaining account of the cultural significance and history of the Italian dish... a fun, knowledgeable and well written book." * NB Magazine *“Cultural historian Montanari has deconstructed pasta’s history and come up with some surprising data.... [His] research will delight readers and provide plenty of fodder for dinner-table discussion.” * Booklist *“Delightful….a brief and hugely entertaining read.” * Buzz Magazine *"An utterly fascinating discourse on food history." * The Daily Beast *"Montanari traces the unstoppable rise of what would become the most famous dish in the whole world." * Robinson *"A learned and entertaining volume." * Il Giornale *

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Book SynopsisAn updated edition of the Sunday Times Bestseller Britain's best-known classicist Mary Beard, is also a committed and vocal feminist. With wry wit, she revisits the gender agenda and shows how history has treated powerful women. Her examples range from the classical world to the modern day, from Medusa and Athena to Theresa May and Hillary Clinton. Beard explores the cultural underpinnings of misogyny, considering the public voice of women, our cultural assumptions about women's relationship with power, and how powerful women resist being packaged into a male template. A year on since the advent of #metoo, Beard looks at how the discussions have moved on during this time, and how that intersects with issues of rape and consent, and the stories men tell themselves to support their actions. In trademark Beardian style, using examples ancient and modern, Beard argues, 'it's time for change - and now!' From the author of international bestseller SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome.Trade ReviewA modern feminist classic -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *With clearsightedness and wry humour, this self-described 'gobby woman' proves public speech is no longer the preserve of maleness. More power to her. -- Laura Garmeson * FT *... exposes the roots of today's expectations of how a woman should behave ... time for a change, she argues - and now! -- Jenni Murray * Guardian *This book is a treasure, both as a fascinating read in itself and as a fine work of reference to correct our lazy misconceptions about an ancient world that still has much to instruct us today * Herald *An urgent feminist cri de coeur, spot-on in its utterly reasonable plea that a woman 'who dares to open her mouth in public' actually be given a hearing. * Kirkus Reviews *Brilliant -- Jacqueline Rose * Guardian *Enlightening ... explains how misogyny works and why it is so resilient -- Elif Shafak * Guardian *A sparkling and forceful manifesto * New York Times *Clear, rich, subversive and witty * San Francisco Chronicle *An irresistible call for women to speak up, act and redefine their power * People Magazine *Praise for Mary Beard: 'She's pulled off that rare trick of becoming a don with a high media profile who hasn't sold out, who is absolutely respected by the academy for her scholarship ... what she says is always powerful and interesting * Guardian *An irrepressible enthusiast with a refreshing disregard for convention * FT *With such a champion as Beard to debunk and popularise, the future of the study of classics is assured * Daily Telegraph *Dynamically, wittily and authoritatively brings the ancient world to life -- Simon Sebag MontefiorePraise for SPQR: Fast-moving, exciting, psychologically acute, warmly sceptical - Bryan Appleyard -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Vastly engaging ... a tremendously enjoyable and scholarly read -- Natalie Haynes * Observer *Sustaining the energy that such a topic demands for more than 600 pages, while providing a coherent answer to the question of why Rome expanded so spectacularly, is hugely ambitious. Beard succeeds triumphantly ... full of insights and delights ... SPQR is consistently enlivened by Beard's eye for detail and her excellent sense of humour. * Sunday Times *Masterful ... This is exemplary popular history, engaging but never dumbed down, providing both the grand sweep and the intimate details that bring the distant past vividly to life * Economist *Ground-breaking ... invigorating ... revolutionary ... a whole new approach to ancient history -- Thomas Hodgkinson * Spectator *Selected as one of the 100 best books of the 21st century: An instant feminist classic * The Guardian *

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Book Synopsis'A priceless portrait of one of the least understood and frequently most vilified of people: farmers. It should really be read by all in this country who buys food - i.e. everyone.' Daily Mail 'Highly researched and deeply thoughtful ... Bathurst peers under the bonnet of these lives and reveals things that rarely make it into print.' James Rebanks, The Times 'A fine achievement: describing the indescribable' Rosamund Young, author of The Secret Life of Cows We think we know what makes Britain's countryside: drystone walls, stiles, sheep on a distant hillside. But for many of us, farmers themselves - the men and women who shape, maintain and care for that land - often remain a mystery: familiar but unpredictable, a secretive industry that's still visible from space. In Field Work, Bella Bathurst journeys through Britain to talk to those on the far side of the fence. From fruit farmers to fallen stock operators, from grassy uplands to polytunnels, she creates a portrait of modern Britain, exposing in the process the inextricable bonds that exist between land and the people who farm it. As farmers find themselves torn between time-honoured methods and modern appetites, these raw, wise and funny accounts reveal an ancient way of life changing beyond recognition.Trade ReviewHighly researched and deeply thoughtful ... Bathurst peers under the bonnet of these lives and reveals things that rarely make it into print. She has a talent for asking the right questions ... Field Work is by turns funny, enlightening, frustrating and deeply sad. -- James Rebanks * The Times *A beautiful hybrid of social history, memoir and nature writing, Field Work manages to bring an entire world out of the shadows. ... Bathurst shows us how interesting all life is if viewed with the correct mixture of sympathy and curiosity -- Alex Preston * Observer *A genuine attempt to get under the fingernails of the people who work in land-based industries and understand why they carry on doing what they do, usually for little financial reward, often in great discomfort and in the face of adversity. And it is a distinguished work of journalism by someone who asks the questions that the reader wants asked [and] sifts the answers perceptively ... This thought-provoking book portrays, with uncomfortable accuracy, life on the green bits beyond the 30-mile limits of Britain's towns -- Jamie Blackett * Telegraph *A priceless portrait of one of the least understood and frequently most vilified of people: farmers. It should really be read by all in this country who buys food - i.e. everyone. If anyone wants to understand farming better, I would press this book into their hands ... The writing is at once tough and lyrical, unsentimental, piercingly truthful and observant ... heart-wrenching as well as dryly funny ... Field Work is a superb testament to that way of life, and richly demonstrates what a terrible loss that would be - for all of us. -- Book of the Week * Daily Mail *A fine achievement: describing the indescribable -- Rosamund Young, author of The Secret Life of CowsExactly the book I've been longing to read about farming. A proper behind-the-scenes look, fascinating, insightful, compassionate. -- Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the Barley and The Light of Stubborn ThingsA long overdue account of the true nature of farming - written from the ground up. Bella Bathurst really gets under the skin of what it means to farm the land in the 21st century, at a time of unprecedented change. -- Stephen Moss, naturalist and author of Skylarks with RosieField Work is a nuanced book - something that has been lacking in mainstream discussions on food and farming. It's an insightful, compassionate and sometimes funny behind-the-scenes tour of a familiar but little understood world. * Geographical Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'Illuminating, thoughtful and scholarly' FINANCIAL TIMES'Does a fascinating job of exploring the history of women's bodies' GREG JENNER'Mind-blowing, fascinating stuff' BBC WOMAN'S HOUR'Delightful, timely and critical' CAT BOHANNON, author of EVE'Weaves historical knowledge of medicine, anatomy, literature, art and religion into a narrative that surprises, informs, excites and frequently amuses' ADRIAN THATCHER, author of VILE BODIESThroughout history, religious scholars, medical men and - occasionally - women themselves, have moulded thought on what 'makes' a woman. She has been called the weaker sex, the fairer sex, the purer sex, among many other monikers. Often, she has been defined simply as 'Not A Man'. Today, we are more aware than ever of the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities. But contrary to what some may believe, what makes a woman is a question that has always been open-ended. Immaculate Forms examines all the ways in which medicine and religion hav

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Book SynopsisA passionate and imaginative exploration of wood – the material that shaped human history. Wood – humankind's long-term partner in our evolution from woodland foragers to engineers of our own destiny – has no equal in strength, resilience, adaptability and availability. The Museum of the Wood Age investigates the influence of basic devices – wedge, inclined plane, screw, lever, wheel, axle and pulley – to reveal the myriad ways in which wood has been worked throughout human history. From the simple bivouacs of hunter-gatherers to sophisticated wooden buildings such as stave churches; from the decorative arts to the humble woodworking of rustic furniture; Max Adams fashions a lattice of interconnected stories and objects that trace a path of human ingenuity across half a million years of history.Trade ReviewA refreshing paean to the power of both nature and human ingenuity * History Revealed *'The Museum of the Wood Age really does achieve something different...Both Max Adam's wealth of experience - as archeologist and craftsman - and his passion are irresistible.' * TLS *PRAISE FOR MAX ADAMS: "Adams' enthusiasm is beguiling, his knowledge as bountiful as a beech-mast, and his appreciation of the utility of trees is a pointer to a better world" - The Times "This book is a celebration of the plant from which it is made" - i, on The Wisdom of Trees "An elegant book packed with information... Adams is a true woodsman so speaks with authority" - Country Life, on The Wisdom of Trees "Gripping, hugely enjoyable and deeply scholarly" * History Today Books of the Year, on The King in the North *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the bestselling Motherfoclóir, Non-fiction Irish Book of the Year. A TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR. What do we talk about when we talk about Irish? When we talk about saving or supporting a language do we mean the musical combination of syllables, or something more profound? How do new words enter a language, and what is the relationship between that strange dialect called Hiberno-English and its parent language? Craic Baby picks up exactly where Motherfoclóir left off and explores the very new and very old parts of the Irish language from a personal perspective. While Motherfoclóir was steeped in memory and a father-son relationship, Craic Baby hinges on the beginnings of a father-daughter relationship, and how watching a child learn to communicate changes how you think about language. Craic Baby will share more Irish words and issues connected to the language, in the same style as Motherfoclóir, but treated with greater confidence and more depth.Trade ReviewDarach Ó Séaghdha's observations and reflections are intelligent and interesting * Irish Times *Ó Séaghdha wasn't keen on learning traditional Irish language when he was young. Inspired by his dad, he later made it his goal to help preserve it * The Big Issue *A wonderful blend of rudeness and erudition * TLS Books of the Year *I'd stray away from my beloved fiction for [Craic Baby] Darach O'Seaghdha's follow up to the brilliant Motherfoclóir * Irish Times Books of the Year *Darach Ó Séaghdha has a gift for bringing Irish to life, through humour and through fascinating stories of why it is the way it is * Irish Daily Mirror *In Craic Baby, Ó Séaghdha wants to address fundamental points about language in Ireland on a longish agenda. And he does it brilliantly * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisVirginia Woolf's novel famously begins - 'Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.' Of course she would: why would anyone surrender the best part of the day to someone else? Flowers grace our lives at moments of celebration and despair. 'We eat, drink, sing, dance, and flirt with them', writes Kakuzo Okakura. Flowers brighten our homes, our parties, and our rituals with incomparable notes of natural beauty, but the 'nature' in these displays is tamed and conscribed. This book analyzes the transplanted nature of cut flowers - of our relationship with them and the careful curation of their very existence. It is a picaresque, unpredictable ramble through the world of flowers, encompassing paintings, murals, fashion, and public art, glass flowers, pressed flowers, flowery church hats, weaponized flowers, deconstructed flowers, flower power. . . and much more.Trade Review"Examining all things floral from paintings, fashion and pressed flowers to decorative church hats and flower power, this generously illustrated book takes cuttings from one aspect of the human urge to tame and curate nature." * Apollo *"Strange Bright Blooms will convince you that flowers don't just stand there looking pretty. Malamud makes intriguing arguments that flowers not only attract but directly interact with us. While their beauty has inspired great art, blooms have likewise been repurposed as symbols of sexism and racism. Poisonous in warfare, flowers also have been signs of peaceful revolution. Like an unexpected delivery of flowers, this book is a surprise and a delight." -- Marcia Reiss, author of "Lily" and "Apple'""Malamud’s new book explores our endless attraction to cut flowers as a ‘shortcut to beauty’ but also as a medium in which to explore all manner of concerns around love and war, class and race, life and death. Who would have thought that Marie Osmond’s paper roses, Jeff Koons’s tulips, Mae Reeves’s hats, T. S. Eliot’s sleeping dahlias, and Banksy’s Flower Bomber (among many, many other wonderful blooms) would combine to make such a fabulous arrangement?" -- Kasia Boddy, author of "Geranium" and "Blooming Flowers"

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Book SynopsisIn her own words, the life of the beautiful young model and dancer who helped to bring down the Tory government of Harold Macmillan - the 'Profumo Affair' remains the greatest political sex scandal in recent British history.Following Christine Keeler's death in December 2017, it is now possible to update her book to include revelations that she did not wish to be published in her lifetime. The result is a revised and updated book containing material that has never been officially released, which really does lift the lid on just how far the Establishment will go to protect its own.Published to coincide with the BBC's major new six-part TV drama series, The Trial of Christine Keeler, starring Sophie Cookson as Keeler and James Norton as Stephen Ward

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE___'A moving microhistory of working-class girlhood' BBC History Magazine___It is 1937 in a northern mill-town and a class of twelve- and thirteen-year-old girls are writing about their lives, their world, and the things that matter to them. They tell of cobbled streets and crowded homes; the Coronation festivities and holidays to Blackpool; laughter and fun alongside poverty and hardship. They are destined for the cotton mill but they dream of being film stars. Class of '37 uses the writing of these young girls, as collected by the research organisation Mass Observation, to rediscover this lost world, transporting readers back in time to a smoky industrial town in an era before the introduction of a Welfare State, where once again the clouds of war were beginning to gather. Woven within this rich, authentic history are the twists and turns of the girls' lives from childhood to beyond, from their happiest times to the most heart-breaking of their sorrows. A compelling social history, this intimate reconstruction of working-class life in 1930s Britain is a haunting and emotional account of a bygone age.___Praise for Class of '37'A treasure trove of childhood' - i paper'A fascinating account' - Bolton News'We're used to Mass Observation revealing adult treasures, but to have them from these irrepressible children is doubly rewarding. An engrossing and gently heart-breaking insight into this chatter of still lives before everything changed, and a wonderful rear-view glimpse of their vanishing world' - Simon Garfield'Characters [...] shine brightly from every page' - Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisFounded in 1884 to promote Irish identity and revive the traditional sports of hurling, football and handball, the GAA enjoyed an intimate relationship with the nationalist movement from the turn of the twentieth century onwards. In 1914, the Irish Volunteers drilled with hurley sticks in the absence of rifles; after the 1916 Rising many of those interned by the British were GAA members; and on 21 November 1920, a Gaelic football match between Dublin and Tipperary at Croke Park was interrupted by a raid by British crown forces that left fourteen dead in Ireland's first 'Bloody Sunday'. With affection and authority, Tim Pat Coogan traces the stirring story of an institution which, from modest beginnings as a grass-roots sporting organisation, has grown into a cornerstone of Irish society both North and South. The Gaelic Athletic Association is, Coogan argues, the most socially valuable organisation in Ireland, whose ideal of voluntarism has contributed to a distinctive sense of national identity that flourishes wherever green is worn.Trade ReviewA new book has charted the 'intimate' connection between the GAA and Irish freedom. Historian Tim Pat Coogan has investigated the influential role played by the association in the revolution * Irish Independent *Tim Pat Coogan's new book underlines the association's huge role in galvanising people against British rule, and how it acted as an important unifying force * Irish Examiner *With his usual erudition and readability, he considers the border campaign of the 50s, The Troubles, and the Hunger Strikes * Irish News *In The GAA and the War of Independence there is little room for doubt. The book knows what it is for, and knows who it is against. It asks few questions, and even fewer to which it doesn't already have an answer * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating history of poetry anthologies and their influence on British society and culture over the last four centuries. For centuries, poetry anthologies shaped the way that generations of British readers encountered literature. Eighteenth-century young women were introduced to the permissible bits of Shakespeare and Swift in censored collections. Working-class Victorians enrolled to be taught from The Golden Treasury at adult learning colleges. Pop-loving teenagers in the 1960s got their first taste of the counterculture from the bestselling The Mersey Sound. InThe Treasuries, Clare Bucknell reveals anthologies to be a unique window into social history. This is the story of some of the most widely read books ever published, and the cultural conversations – around politics, gender, class and nationhood – they sparked.Trade ReviewAnthologies are the sleepers of the bookshelf, loaded with the hidden ideals and prejudices of their compilers. Clare Bucknell reads expertly between their lines to reveal a remarkable alternative history of literature. -- Rosemary HillThe delight of this book is its expert toggling of scale. Bucknell dissects large issues - politics, class, taste, education - via small vignettes: Palgrave collecting his poems with scissors, war poems falling like bombs, poetry on prescription. Her panoramic history throws up unexpected parallels - the Exclusion Crisis and the Spanish Civil War, Keats and working men’s eduction, ballads and pop. Treasuries is smart and learned but unpatronising: it sparkles with appreciation for the anthologist and their always-partial act of selection. -- Emma Smith * author of Portable Magic *Impressive in its coverage of social history, teeming with anecdotes, The Treasuries arrives just as Britain is once more rearranging its literary heritage and 'retelling favourite stories about itself at a moment of national crisis'. -- Peter ConradClare Bucknell is a compelling storyteller as well as a deep and cheerful scholar. A riveting read, The Treasuries changes how a reader approaches the designing and sometimes devious anthologists and the books they sell us. -- Michael SchmidtThis book is a wonderful celebration and examination of anthologies as the cornerstone of our literary culture. -- Ian McMillan

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